Cushion-tread for heels, &amp;c.



No. 718,526. PATENTED JAN. 13, 1903.

H; F. RODNEY. CUSHION TREAD-FOR HEELS, 6w.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 15, 1902.

H0 MODEL.

Nirnn STATES- PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY F. ROONEY, OF RANDOLPH, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO MELLEN BRAY, TRUSTEE, OF NEWTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

CU'SHlON-TREAD FOR HEELS, 86C.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 718,526, dated January 13, 1903.

Application filed January 15, 1902. Serial No. 89,817. (No model.)

T at whom it nwty concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY F. RooNEY, of Randolph, in the county of Norfolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cushioned Treads for Heels, &'c., of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to elastic treads,

principally for boot and shoe heels, although [0 it may be embodied in a tread for use on other articles. v

The invention has for its object, first, to provide an elastic tread with metallic wearpieces forming parts of the tread-surface and [5 adapted to reduce to the minimum the wear of the elastic body of the tread, said wear pieces including also nail-engaging washers forming parts of or attached to said wearpieces and yieldingly supported at their upper sides by portions of the elastic material of the tread, so that the wear-pieces shall not only prolong the durability of the elastic body of the tread without materially interfering with the resilience of the latter, but shall also provide for the attachment of the tread to a heel or other article by means of attachingnails. 4 s

The invention consists in the improvements which I will now proceed to describe and 0 claim. 7 Of the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 represents a bottom View of an elastic heel-tread embodying my invention. Fig. 2 represents a section on line 2 20f Fig. 1. Fig. 3 represents an enlargement of a portion of Fig. 2, showing in dotted lines a portion of an attaching-nail engaged with the tread. Figs. 4: and 5 represent perspective views of differcut forms of combined wear-piece and nailengaging washer. Fig. 6 represents-a sectional View of the form of wear-piece and Washer shown inFig. 5.. Fig. 7 represents a perspective View of-a vulcanizing-mold suitable for use in the manufacture of the elastic tread shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts mall the figures.

In the drawings, (1 represents the elastic body of my'improved tread, the same being in this case formed for application to a boot or shoe or to the heel thereof.

b b representa series of metallic wear-pieces which are embedded in the body a,their outer ends being flush with the tread-surface of said 5 5 body, while their inner ends are below the upper surface of the body. The outer ends of the wear-pieces therefore form parts of the tread-surface and reduce to them inimum the wear of the elastic body by contact with the ground. The inner ends of the wear-pieces being separated, as above stated, from the upper surface of the body a are backed by portions of said elastic body, so that they yield with the elasticbody, and therefore do not interfere materially with the cushioning effect.

I prefer to make the wear-pieces b tubular in form and-to form the inner end of each Wear-piece so that it is adapted to serve as a washer for engagement with one of the nails c, which attach the tread to a boot or shoe. To this end I form ahead I) on the inner end of the tubular body of the wear-piece b, said head-being preferably disk-shaped and provided with a central perforation 17 which coincides with the interior of the tubular body and is of smaller diameter, so that a flange, shoulder, or seat is formed at the inner end of the wear-piece b for engagement with the head 0 of the attaching-nail, as clearly shown in Fig. 3. The tubular body of the Wear-piece is of s fficient diameter to receive the head c, so t at the said tubular body may be termed a nail-cup.

The outer end of the tubular wear-piece b may have an outwardly-projecting flange b to increase the area of wear-resisting surface. Said flange may be star-shaped, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4, this shape imparting an ornamental appearance to the tread-face of the body a. If desired, however, the flange b may be omitted, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6.

The described tread may be made by mounting the tubular wear-pieces 1) upon fixed pins d, projecting into the cavity of a vulcanizingmold c, then filling said cavity with elastic unvulcanized rubber or rubber composition and suitably closing or covering the cavity 2. A tread for heels, 850., comprising an elastic body and tubular metallic wear-pieces embedded in the said body and having outwardly-projecting wear-flanges at their outer ends which cover portions of the body, and heads at their inner ends constituting nailengaging Washers, said heads being located below the upper surface of the body.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

\ HENRY F. ROONEY.

\Vitnesses:

C. F. BROWN,

E. BATCHELDER. 

